There are new kids on the block! Goat kids Kettle, Biscuit, Hopper, Crumpet, Daisy Mae, Rhubarb, and Thistle, named by their keepers, arrived at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium on Saturday.
The 7-week-old kids are viewable to guests (not for touching or feeding, yet) in the Kids’ Zone area of the zoo but won’t mingle with the current herd until they are bigger.
From left to right: Daisy Mae, Rhubarb and Biscuit.
“We will give them plenty of time to get settled in and acquainted with keepers,” said Curator Natalie Davis.
Daisy Mae.
Keepers will bottle-feed the kids and monitor their weight and overall development. Like any kid, they have plenty of toys or “enrichment” items to explore, like a slide.
Veterinarian Dr. Cassidy Soehnlein gives Hopper a quick wellness exam upon arrival.
“They are very curious already,” said Davis.
The keepers will teach the kids to recognize and respond to their names, using positive reinforcement (like treats) to train them.
“These kids are quite vocal and will likely be heard across the zoo,” said Davis.
The goat herd also includes goats Spice, Sugar, Buckles, Snap, Celeste, Bentley, L.S., Juniper, Marion, Dublin, and Clover. Meet them here. Guests can meet and feed the herd (but not the kids, yet) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.